[WIP] July Newsletter

_posts/2014-07-04-july-newsletter.md

@@ -0,0 +1,227 @@
+---
+layout: newsletter
+title: "Issue #2 - Perchance to Dream"
+category: newsletter
+permalink: /news/2014/july/
+---
+
+Welcome to the second monthly newsletter for Neovim, the project that dreams to
+be the next text editor that we'll all love.
+
+## General News
+
+### Colorscheme Contest
+
+In the discussion about [default Neovim settings][color-defaults], the idea of
+having a default colorscheme was brought up. A [later issue][color-discussion]
+was started to determine what colorscheme would be used.
+
+It was decided that a new colorscheme would be great for Neovim. To do this, the
+Neovim collaborators will create a contest that will allow submissions of
+colorschemes. After some time, the submissions will close and then a new Poll
+will be started to let the community pick the winner.
+
+The winner(s) will be awarded the prize money and their colorschemes will
+forever be enshrined in distributions of Neovim.
+
+Stay tuned to the [Neovim Twitter][info-twitter] for when the submission
+guidelines and process are announced.
+
+## Development News
+
+### Clarification of Neovim's License
+
+[Concern arose][license-concern] over Neovim using [Vim's
+license][license-vim]. While the Vim license still applies to the original Vim
+code, newly written code wasn't explicitly being addressed and could be
+relicensed.
+
+The community settled on using [Apache 2.0][license-apache]. The license info
+was then [updated][license-update] and all contributors have been asked to sign
+a [CLA][license-cla] by filling out [this document][license-cla-doc] and adding
+your name to [this Wiki page][license-cla-wiki].
+
+#### Note
+
+> This means that if you've contributed code *before* the switch to Apache 2.0,
+> your code is still under the old Vim license. It won't become part of Apache 2.0
+> *unless* you sign the CLA.
+
+### Client-side RPC
+
+@tarruda finished [his implementation][client-pr] that provides a
+`channel_send_call` function that allows code to be ran in other scripting
+engines such as Python, Ruby, and more.
+
+As @tarruda notes, the code runs in another process, blocks until the client
+responds, has a 3 second timeout and has a call stack limit of 20.
+
+### Various Fixes and Improvements
+
+@tarruda opened [a pull request][various-pr] that proposed various fixes and
+improvements to some of his past work. The changes targeted the jobs API,
+streams API and lastly the events API. All of these past features were discussed
+in last month's newsletter.
+
+These changes included the ability to send large amounts of data through
+streams, added code for [msgpack][various-msgpack] parsing failures, and an
+ability to lock onto a set of event sources.
+
+### Compiling under Windows
+
+The ability to build Neovim on Windows has been popular and a [target for
+months][windows-months]. The entire discussion can be viewed in [this
+issue][windows-master].
+
+[Recent progress][windows-equalsraf] has been made by @equalsraf in his attempt
+to build Neovim under [MinGW][windows-mingw].
+
+For help building on other platforms, be sure to check out the newly minted
+[Building Neovim page][windows-building] on the Wiki for all things related to
+compiling.
+
+### Growable Array Additions
+
+[Garray.c][garray-code] is a data structure from Vim that provides a
+"**g**rowable **array**" to the editor. It has been the target of many [pull
+requests][garray-issues] in the past.
+
+The [latest addition][garray-append-init] by @philix gives an easier way to
+append to the array. While `garray` is still being improved, eventually it will
+be phased out by a more robust solution.
+
+### Fixing VimL Libcall
+
+A function called `mch_libcall()` was temporarily removed during some of the
+cleanup. It is called in Vim by using the [`libcall()`][libcall-docs] function
+and is used by some plugins.
+
+[Discussion started][libcall-discussion] around its temporary removal and how to
+re-add it to retain compatibility with Vim. @atkau proposed a solution and then
+created a [pull request][libcall-fix] with the new changes which have since been
+merged.
+
+### Continued File Function Refactoring
+
+In last month's issue, we talked about the [changes to `mch_stat`
+calls][file-previous]. This refactoring was [continued][file-continued] by
+@stefan991 to add a new structure that encapsulates `st_dev` and `st_ino` of
+[libuv's][file-uv-stat-t] `uv_stat_t`.
+
+### Translations
+
+Contributors to Neovim live in countries all over the world. Many native
+speakers have been busy updating the translations in their native languages.
+
+Translations that already have been updated include
+[German][translation-german] and [Brazilian Portuguese][translation-pt-br]. With
+others like [Spanish][translation-spanish] and [Swedish][translation-swedish] in
+the works.
+
+### Doxygen Theme
+
+@stefan991 customized the Doxygen theme to style it similar to how Neovim.org
+looks. It was then [added to the codebase][docs-theme] for future builds.
+
+### String Handling
+
+[Effort was made][string-strncpy] to replace `vim_strncpy` with `strlcpy` and
+it was merged in successfully. However there was a bit of
+[fallout][string-fallout] from the changes.
+
+In response, @aktau created a [master issue][string-master] to collaborate on
+the process and discuss the best way forward.
+
+To quote @philix, he summed it up best in [his comment][string-comment]:
+
+> String handling is really important in a text editor and the current codebase
+> doesn't have good abstractions for string handling (even though we've been
+> slowly improving it). It's a miracle how much can be accomplished with so
+> little abstraction (and a lot of low level code).
+
+## Shape of Things to Come
+
+### Documentation on Neovim.org
+
+Neovim's [development documentation][docs-dev] that is autogenerated by Doxygen
+is in the process of being [moved to the neovim.org][docs-doxygen] domain.
+
+In addition to that, the user documentation for Neovim is being [moved there as
+well][docs-user].
+
+To aid in the process, @Marvim, Neovim's newly appointed resident automaton (aka
+bot), will be configured to automate the process. Just don't [talk to him about
+life][docs-quotes].
+
+### Donating
+
+If you'd like to help support development, you may donate using Bitcoins here:
+`1Evu6wPrzjsjrNPdCYbHy3HT6ry2EzXFyQ` or back the team on the [Neovim
+Bountysource][info-bountysource] page.
+
+### Contributing
+
+If you an experienced developer or inexperienced but wanting to learn, visit the
+[GitHub repo][info-github] and check out the [README][info-readme],
+[CONTRIBUTING][info-contrib] guide, and finally the [Wiki][info-wiki] to learn
+more.
+
+There are plenty of opportunities to help out and plenty of things to do.
+
+## That's a Wrap
+
+Do you have any feedback or suggestions regarding this second newsletter? Feel
+free to reach out through the [Neovim Twitter][info-twitter].
+
+Also be sure to subscribe to the [RSS feed][info-rss] to stay up-to-date on what is
+happening in the Neovim world. The next newsletter will be released around the
+first Friday of August.
+
+Until next time. `:wq`
+
+[docs-dev]: http://neovim.menkar.uberspace.de/devdoc/
+[docs-doxygen]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim.github.io/issues/48
+[docs-quotes]: http://hitchhikers.wikia.com/wiki/Marvin#Quotes_by_Marvin
+[docs-user]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim.github.io/issues/55
+[docs-theme]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/pull/824
+[info-bountysource]: https://www.bountysource.com/teams/neovim
+[info-contrib]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md
+[info-github]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/
+[info-readme]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/blob/master/README.md
+[info-rss]: {{ site.news.feed }}
+[info-twitter]: https://twitter.com/Neovim
+[info-wiki]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/wiki
+[license-apache]: https://tldrlegal.com/license/apache-license-2.0-(apache-2.0)
+[license-cla-doc]: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1u54bpbwzneDIRltFx1TGi2evKxY3w0cOV3vlpj8DPbg/viewform
+[license-cla-wiki]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/wiki/CLA-confirmation-page
+[license-cla]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contributor_License_Agreement
+[license-concern]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/issues/878
+[license-update]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/pull/883
+[license-vim]: http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/uganda.html#license
+[string-comment]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/issues/859#issuecomment-46429356
+[string-fallout]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/issues/858
+[string-master]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/issues/859
+[string-strncpy]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/pull/743
+[translation-german]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/pull/780
+[translation-pt-br]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/pull/892
+[translation-spanish]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/pull/913
+[translation-swedish]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/pull/913
+[windows-building]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/wiki/Building-Neovim
+[windows-equalsraf]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/pull/810
+[windows-master]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/issues/696
+[windows-mingw]: http://www.mingw.org/
+[windows-months]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/issues/328
+[garray-code]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/blob/master/src/nvim/garray.c
+[garray-issues]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/search?q=garray&ref=cmdform&type=Issues
+[garray-append-init]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/pull/830
+[color-discussion]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/issues/793
+[color-defaults]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/issues/276
+[file-previous]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/pull/619
+[file-continued]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/pull/775
+[file-uv-stat-t]: https://github.com/joyent/libuv/blob/b9b386ac5a8bf772af95e7238c3f0b6673626923/include/uv.h#L441
+[libcall-docs]: http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/eval.html#libcall()
+[libcall-discussion]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/issues/795
+[libcall-fix]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/pull/802
+[client-pr]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/pull/872
+[various-pr]: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/pull/853
+[various-msgpack]: http://msgpack.org/

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